taken 3 years ago, near to Knowlton, Kent, Great Britain

A view along the sunken course of Black Lane. Although this section of the lane remains a public footpath EE261, the definitive map lacks a recorded continuation west into Knowlton hamlet. So the path is little frequented, not maintained, blocked by extensive falls of trees and shrubs. and is now impassable west of the old light railway crossing save by the most persistent.

The East Kent Light Railway was part of the Colonel Stephens group of cheaply-built rural light railways in England. Holman Fred Stephens was engineer from its inception, subsequently becoming director and manager. The line ran from Shepherdswell to Wingham (Canterbury Road) Station with a branch from Eastry through Poison Cross to Richboro Port.

Black Lane is an old road, once part of a through route between Canterbury and Deal. It is a continuation of Knowlton Lane heading east, across the old East Kent light railway, Thornton Lane, Venson Bottom and (now) the Dover Road (Whitfield Bypass), terminating on the Betteshanger road at the junction with Cater Road. Most of the road is now unrecorded, but part, about 1km west of Thornton Lane, is now recorded as a public footpath as far as the parish boundary of Eastry and Knowlton but is impassable as it sees little use having no recorded continuation west into Knowlton. The line of the road is still well defined west of Venson Bottom, and forms a distinct hollow way between Thornton Lane and the Knowlton parish boundary.